One year ahead of the presidential election, Senegal’s main opposition coalition Yewwi Askan Wi is on the rocks.
The block formalized its breakaway with one of its founding parties on Thursday (Aug. 10).
Over 20 political groups joined forces ahead of the 2022 local elections. The groups included Ousmane Sonko’s PASTEF and Taxawu Senegal of former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall.
On August 09, Yewwi Askan Wi accused Taxawu Sénégal of “betrayal”, following a quarrel at a Dakar city council meeting where one of the coordinators of Pastef, lost his position as first deputy, according to the local press.
According to Yewwi, this “betrayal” justifies the “end of the partnership” between the two groups.
Taxawu Sénégal, the party of Senegalese opposition figure Khalifa Sall, was rehabilitated last weekend of his electoral rights by the National Assembly and declared candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
Tensions between the party and the coalition had been running high since Khalifa Sall agreed to take part in a National Dialogue in May to ease tensions on the eve of the rape trial of opponent Ousmane Sonko, another leader of the coalition, who had categorically refused to take part.
